JACKSONVILLE – The first time he touched the ball, Brian Westbrook lost two yards. The next time, he managed just one yard. It was a slow start last night for Westbrook and the entire Eagles offense in Super Bowl XXXIX, and it didn’t get much better for the Birds best weapon.

Westbrook was recently added to the NFC Pro Bowl squad, a fitting reward for a career-best season. But the Patriots were having none of that, and soon enough the entire running game was halted by a typically unyielding Bill Belichick defense.

Versatility is an attribute that Westbrook has in abundance, though, but the diminutive running back from Villanova never was able to put his stamp on a game that gradually got away from his team in a 24-21 loss at Alltel Stadium.

In the rushing game, Westbrook ran 15 times for 44 yards, rarely finding any room. As a receiver, Westbrook had seven catches for 60 yards and a third-quarter touchdown that pulled the Eagles even at 14. Trailing 14-7, Westbrook accounted for 40 yards from scrimmage on a drive that ended when Westbrook outmaneuvered rookie safety Dexter Reid on a 9-yard touchdown pass play with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter. It was a flash, but that’s it.

“They jammed their linebackers in there and were blocking up our guards so every time we tried to chip the linebackers we did not have too many faces there,” Westbrook said.

Translation: The Patriots usually had one more defender than the Eagles had blockers.

“We didn’t do a good enough job of making space on the line,” Westbrook added.

The guy can do a lot on his own, but not everything.

“They were using their speed a little bit, they were getting off blocks well,” center Hank Fraley said. “We’re a veteran O-line, they were just making plays. We didn’t stay on our blocks long enough. I definitely think we started out slow as an offensive line, me in particular. I definitely didn’t play a good game tonight. I don’t even want to watch this film.”